Load-transfer apparatus.



T. S. MILLER I L. G. RUGGLES.

LOAD TRANSFER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IuNE 3. 1913.

1 ,228,344. Patented May 29,1917.

T. S. MILLER & L. G. RUGGLES.

LOAD TRANSFER APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED-JUNE 3l 191g.

1 ,228,344. Patented May 29,1917- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. S. MILLER & L. G. RUGGLES.

LOAD TRANSFER APPARATUS.

i APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3.1913. 1,228,344, Pmmd May 29,1917.

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THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, OF SOU'IH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AND LOUIS G. EUGGIJES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; SAID RUGGLES ASSIGNOB, OF HIS ONE-HALF IO LIDGERWOOD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK,

LOAD-TRANSFER APPARATUS.

Application filed June 3, 1913.

To all 'w tem 'it may concern.'

Be it known that we, ',lrroai'as SPENCER Minnen and Louis (nl. R'Uoenns, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of South Orange, in the county of State of New Jersey, and New York city, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York7 State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lomi-Transfer Apparatus, of which the following is a specilication.

)ur invention relates broadly to new and useful iniprovements in load-transfer apparatus, and more particularly contemplates means for hoisting' and transferring loads from a vessel to a dock or wharf, or vice versa, although we desire it uinflerstood that we do not desire to be limited to such use, as the invention may readily he employed for hoisting and transferring loads from one vessel to another, or from one point to another on land.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple'and etlicient apparatus for transferring loads which will have an increased capacity over any other apparatus of which we are aware, so as to reduce materially the time and expense incurred in unloading a vessel, or in loading the same.

Another object is to provide an apparatus including two or more hoisting and transferring lines in which one may always be employed to hoist 'and transfer the load while the other .is returning` from the point of deposit to the point where it receives its load.

A further object is to provide an apparatus including` two or more hoistingl ropes, each of which will be provided with its own actuating engine and in which said actuating engines may have the power thereof combined to act on one of said ropes in case it is desired to lift a `load in excess of the power of the engine for that rope.

Other objects will appear during the progress of the description of a preferred embodiinent to follow hereinafter.

To the ends above stated one embodiment of the invention may consist of two or more hoisting ropes suspended from an elevated Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, i917.

serial No, 771,399.

support on a vessel, and extending over said support to independent winding engines, preferably mounted on the wharf or dock, which engines are capable of independent operation to pay out and take up their respective ropes, but which may be combined or coupled so that they may exert their combined power to take up one of said ropes, the fall of each of said ropes passing through a swinger frame, which frames are operable by inhanl and outhaul lines to swing the hoisting ropes from the point where they are attached to the load to the point of deposit and to return them for a new load. The swinging means for the frames is preferably common to both and so constructed and arranged that the frames are operated to simultaneously swing the hoisting ropes in opposite directions to each other so that, when one rope is being swung to transfer its load to the point of deposit another rope is beingl returned to the point where it is to take its load.

The invention further consists in the arrangement and combination of parts and mechanisms in operative combination to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

Ve have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention in the accompanying` drawings to be takenras a part of this specification and wherein:

Figure l is a view showing in elevation a complete apparatus for transferring loads from a vessel to a dock, the vessel being shown in section, and the general direction of travel of the load being shown in dotand-dash lines.

Fig. .2 is a view in side elevation of a swinger frame forming part of the inven* tion.

Fig.` 3 is a top plan view, partlyin section, of the swinger frame shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, partly in sec tion, of a duplex winding engine for operating on the hoisting lines or the swinging lines employed in the system.

Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 4.

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Fig. 6 is a detail top plan view, partly in section, of a coupling` means for connecting the motors for driving the drums shown in VF ig. 1, so that both motors may exert their y power upon one of the drums.

F ig. 7 is a front view of the' superstructure shown in side elevation to the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the ropeleads in the system.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 1 designates generally a wharf structure, and 2 designates a vessel, between which the load-transferring operations are to take place, it being understood that tlf-.e apparatus as hereinafter described may be used either for transferring the load from the `vessel to the wharf or from the wharf to the vessel.

On the wharf is a superstructure 3 which may serve as a support for the rope-operating engines and such appurtenances to the ropes as it may bedesired to locate upon the wharf. `This structure formsno part of our present invention', and is illustrated merely,

in order that the details and operation of the invention may be clearly understood.

The vessel 2 specifically forms no 'part of our invention, but may consist of the usual hull having a hatchway et through which the load is passed in being deposited in, or withdrawn from, the hull. The decl; of the vessel is indicated at 5 and carries a vertical mast 6 to which are pivoted in any suitable manner booms 7, 8, provided with suitable guys or stays 9 to the mast and the hull whereby said booms may be adjusted to the desired position. The boom 7 carries at its outer end a pair of suspension blocks, sheaves or other suitable rope guides 10, said boom being preferably arranged so that its outer end is located between the hatchway and the dock and extending above the hatchway. Extending over each of the blocks or guides 10 is a hoisting rope, said ropes being shown respectively at 11, 12, the falls of said ropes depending from said guides 10, and being provided at their lower ends with suitable hoolrs 13, or any other means for attaching them to or lifting the load. These ropes 11, 12, pass over guide-blocll's 111 on the superstructureV 3 and thence to winding drums 3G, B1, to be described hereinafter, which are capable of operation independently of each other to take up and let out their respective ropes, and which are each provided with motors which may be coupled to drive one of the drums when increased power is desired for either of the hoisting lines. VI1`he construction of these engines and motors will be described with greater` detail Y hereinafter.

Engaging the fall of each of the hoisting lines 1s a swinger frame, shown respectively at 15, 16, corresponding ends of said frames being connected by a line 17 doubled upon itself and which passes over the rope-guide 18 carried by the outer end of the boom 8, which is preferably arranged so as to project outboard of the'vessel in a direction away from the wharf. Y Connected to the opposite ends of the swinger frames from t ie ends to which the rope 17 is connected, are hauling lines 19, 20, respectively, by means of which the swinger frames are hauled outboard of the vessel toward the dock, the said lines 19, 20, being wound respectively upon winding drums 30, 31, preferably inV reverse direction, so that, when one of said lines is wound on its drum, the other is paid out, said drums being preferably interconnected so that they are positively driven toY pay out and take up said lines. Y

The length of the 'rope 17 is preferably definitely ascertained so that the swinger frames will bear a definiteV relation to each other as to the point where the load is taken up by one hoisting rope and the point where it is discharged by the other hoisting rope,so that,when one hoisting rope is in position to be hooked ontoits load the other is in proper position to deposit its load. 1n other words, when one hoisting line is in position to be attached to a load in the vessel, the other hoisting line is in position to deposit on the wharf a load previously hoisted from the vessel.

The swinger frames referred to may take anumber of forms within the purview of our invention, but they7 preferably consist of parallel side plates 21 connected at their ends by yolres 22, 22, pivoted to said plates, and to which the ropes 17, 19 and 20, are adapted to be connected. Journaled upon suitable bearings in said side plates are rope sheaves 23, 23e, between which the hoisting rope is adapted to freely pass when being either taken up or'paid out. Mounted on the end of the journal or shaft 21 for the pulley 23a and clamped to the side frame by' suitable nuts2 on the ends of said shaft' are grooved cleat pulleys 26, 26a. The ropes 19 and 2O may be .connected to the respective yolres 22 on the frames in any suitable manner, but we prefer to pass the end of the rope 17 through an opening 27 in the yoke 22?, then carry it around the cleat pulley 2G, thence Varound the end of the frame adjacent said yoke 22n and around the cleat pulley 26, the extreme end portion of the rope 17 being connected to said rope by a rope-'coupling 28, so as to provide a non-slipping connection between said rope 17 and the swinger frame. TheV connection described provides forV an adjustable connection between said rope 17 and the swinger lframes so thatV the definite relation between the swinger frames heretofore described maybe determined and maintained. The pulleys 26, 26, may be non-rotatably fixed in position on the shaft 24; by means of rivets 29 connecting the said pulleys and the side plates of the swinger frame.

The adjustable connection between the swinger frame and the line 17 also permits of the regulation of the .length of said line to vary with different distances, greater or less, between the vessel and the dock.

Vif e will now proceed to describe the actuatingengine for taking up and paying out the hoisting lines il, 12, and for actuating the ropes 19, 20, to traverse the swinging frames and thereby swing the hoisting ;z,opes:-30, 3l, designate hoisting drums mounted on suitable shafts 32, 323, and carrying respectively gears 311-, 35, rigid therewith, said shafts being journaled in the side frames 36 and au intermediate member 37 of the engine structure. Extending parallel with the axis of revolution of the drums are driving shafts 38 arrai'iged in longitlu'linal alinement and having bearing at their outer ends in pedestals 39, and at their inner ends in said intermediate frame inembor 87. Each of these shafts carries a driving pinion l0 meshing with the gears 3d, 2&5, heretofore described, and also larger gears -l-l, each of which mesh with a driving gair l2 on armature shaft of electric motors il. The opposite ends of the :ufmaturc shafts from the ends carrying the gears -i-Q are each provided with a friction disk or brake wheel Atl with which coperates suitable brake mechanism i5 ope ated by a solenoid i6 to positively grip and hold the armature shafts against rotation. Each of the motors is provided with its own controller -li' independent of the controller for the other motor, each controller including a rot-ary hand-operated shaft i8 adapted to be operated by a hand-lever i9 to control the supply of current to its motor. `We do not deem it necessary to describe specifically the construction and operation of the controllers, but desire to state that they are preferably of a type wherein an intermediate position of the hand-operating lever cuts off supply of current to the motors, while forward movement of said lever causes supply of current to the motors to run them in one direction, and the rearward movement of the lever from intermediate position, serving to reverse the motors. Referring particularly 'to Fig. a of the drawings, it will be seen that the operating shafts i8 aline with each other and are provided at their inner ends with coupling extensions having polyfaced ends 51 adapted to be connected by a coupling sleeve 52 provided with a tightening screw 53 by means of which said sleeve may be clamped in position. it will be understood that this sleeve is operable lengthwise of said shafts to couple them together to cause the controllers to be simultaneously operated, or said coupling may be moved in the opposite direction to separate the controller shafts so that said controllers may be independently operated.

lV e preferably employ electric motors of the type capable of dynamic braking; that is, which, when over-speeded, generate current to retard rotation of the armature. rhis type is desirable in this system because the motor operates automatically to retard rotation of the drums when there is a tendency of the load to over-speed the same.

l/Ve will now describe a simple and preferred means for coupling the motor shafts so that the power of both motors may be exerted upon one of the drums. Mounted on one of the armature shafts i3 is an internally toothed clutch-member 54 preferably iXed to its armature shaft against movement longitudinally thereof, while, upon the opposite and alining armature shaft, is an externally toothed clutch-meinber 5.5 movable longitudinally of its shaft by a suitable operating means 5G to engage within, or be withdrawn from, the member 54,-. lt will, be understood that when the member 55 is projected into the member oel, both armature shafts will be connected so that both motors exert their power upon one of thedrums, and when the elements 5l and 55 are disconnected, each motor runs ,its drum independently of the other motor.

Ve may use an engine structure with the motor control and coupling feature, `iust described, for operating either the ropes 19 and 2O for swinging the loads, or for taking up and paying out the hoisting line 1l, 12, but, under ordinary working conditions, the drums for the hoisting ropes and the motors therefor, are only connected when the hoist on the vessel and the hoist on the dock are practically equal, and it is not necessary to take into consideration any difference in the length of the hoistingropes or the distance each is to travel. These motors and the drums may be coupled also when the load is too much for one motor, under which condition both motors may be connected to one drum to drive the same. The hoisting engines may be uncoupled when it is desired to work the loads independently and to gain speed under circumstances when it is desirable to lower and hoist the load carried by one rope while the other rope is held for any reason. It will be understood that the hoisting lines are wound on the drums of their engines in the same direction, while, as above stated, the lines 19 and 2O for the swinger frames are wound on their respective drums in opposite or reverse directions.

The engines for operating the rope-leads may be arranged at any point on the dock, but we prefer to arrange them side by side, as shown in Fig. 7, and mount the frame of each on running wheels 57, adapted to travel on track rails 58, whereby the engines may be located at any desired point.

It will be understood that the ropes 19, 2O may be guided to their winding drums in any suitable manner dependent upon the location of the drums, but in the present embodiment we show them passing through locks 19a, 2()a beneath the engines, and blocks 19h, 20b above the engines and from the latter to the drums. The bloclrs 14, 19, 20a, and 19h, 20'), may be supported at any desired points on the dock.

The parts being as above described and in substantially the positions shown in the drawings, the operation of the apparatus'is as follows:

As set forth, the connection 17 between the swinger frame is preferably denitely fixed in length so that when one of the hooks or load-attaching or carrying devices on one of the hoisting ropes is in position to engage the load in the vessel, the other hoisting line is at the point of disconnection or discharge. lf it is then desired to lift a load from the vessel and transfer it to the dock and to return the disconnected hook on the dock to the vessel for another load, the operator throws the controller lever for the-motors for driving the hoisting drums, to cause the drums to wind up the lines 11 and 12, which operation is continued until the load carried by one of the lines, and the attaching device carried by the other line, are elevated suiiiciently to clear the ship structure, whereupon the operator of the swinger engine for controlling the swinging lines 19 and 20 throws the controlling lever for the motors to cause the drums of the swinger engine driven thereby to take up the line 2O and pay out the line 19, which serves to traverse the swinger frame 16 to swing the rope 11 and its load outboard toward the dock and to pull on the line 17 to traversey the swinger frame 15 and the line 12, engaged thereby, away from the dock toward the hatch of the vessel. During this traversing of the swinger frames the operator controlling the hoisting ropesv may pay out or take up the same simultaneously or independently to cause the load and the free hook to clear the vessel and to take the proper path of travel to expeditiously and accurately carry said load and hook to their proper destinations.

When the hoisting ropes have been traversed the desired distance, the hoisting engines may then be reversed by their controllers to pay out the lines to thereby deposit the load carried by one line at its destination, and lower the hook carried by the other line into position to be attached to a new load. While in the positions just described the solenoid brakes may be o-perated to positively hold the lines in the positions to which they have been moved. The load is then detached from the outboard hoisting line and the attaching device on the line the hatch is attached to a load, whereupon the hoisting engines are again driven forwardly to lift the load and the empty hook, and the operator for the swinger engines reverses the revolution of the drums thereof from the direction heretofore described to cause the rope 19 to be taken up by its drum andthe rope 20 to beV paid out, so that the pull on the rope 19 traverses the frame 15 outboard to swing the rope 12 toward the dock, and also to exert a pull on the line 17 to pull the swinger frame 16 and the hoisting rope 11 inboard to a point over the hatch of the vessel. During this operation the hoisting lines may be, if desired or necessary, controlled, as heretofore described, by the operator for the hoisting line engines. rlhe lines having reached the points of deposit and load-taking, the hoisting engine is then reversed to pay out said lines so that the load is deposited at the proper point and the free hoisting line is lowered to a point where it can be conveniently attached to a load. While we have just described the invention as Vtransferring the hoisting lines between deiinite points, it will be evident that one of the hoisting lines may be taken up or paid out independently of the other at any vpoint intermediate such definite points.

From thel above description it will be apparent that we have provided a system in which a given cargol may be transferred from a vessel to a dock, or vice versa, in

approximately one-half theV timeV which" would be consumed with but one whip or hoist, and that a definite relation is maintained between the hoisting lines so that the operation of one to transfer a load simultaneously returns the other to be attached to a load. Y

1f, during the operation of the system, it

should be necessary to lift a load in excess Y of the power of one of the hoisting engines, it is only necessary to connect the armature shafts by means of the coupling members 54, 55, and the controller shafts 4S, 48, by means ofthe sleeve 52, whereupon both of the' motors will be controlled simultaneously to exert their combined power upon one of the drums,'under which condition the drum not sustaining the excess load would beV per- 'mitted to run free andA take uprritsslack rope, it being understood that under these conditions but oneV of the hoisting f lines would be employed foi` load-lifting purposes. i f u' It will be understood that we do not dersire to be limited to the booms for support. ing the hoisting ropes, and the swinging ropes, as other` supporting means may be employed within the intent and scope of our invention.

rlhe hoisting or winding engine described herein and illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is not claimed herein but is made the sub'- liect oi." a divisional application tiled by us July 3, 1915, Serial No. 37,894.

W7 hat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot the United States is 1. ln a load transfer appara tus, in combination, an elevated support, a plurality ot' hoisting ropes suspended from said support, a swinger frame engaging the fall oil' each of said ropes, means for moving the hoisting ropes simultaneously in the same direction, and. means itor simultaileously operating the swinger frames.

il'. ln a load transfer apparatus, in coinbination, an elevated support, a plurality ol .hoistingropes sl'lspended from said support, a swinger traine engaging the fall ot each ot said ropes, means for ino-ving the hoisting ropes simultaneously in the same direction. and means -for sinii'lltaneously operating the swinger frames so that one moves in the opposite direction to the other.

fi. ln a load-transfer apparatus, in combination, an elevated support, two hoisting ropes suspended from said support, actuating means tor simultaneously moving' the hoisting ropes in the same direction, a swinger iframe engaging the fall of each of said ropes, rope means for swinging said frames simultaneously in opposite directions to each other, and a pair of drums for operating1 said swinger rope means.

4. ln a load-transfer apparatus, in combination, an elevated support, two hoisting ropes suspended from said support, a hoisting drum for operating each of said ropes, a swinger frame engaging the fall of each of said hoisting ropes, and means for swinging said frames in opposite directions.

5. ln a load-transfer apparatus, in combination, an elevated support, two hoisting ropes suspended therefrom, a winding drum for each rope, a swinger iframe engaging the :tall oit each of said ropes, each of said frames being provided with a swinger rope :tor swinging it in one direction, interconnected drums for operating said swinger ropes, and means tor operating said drums simultaneously.

(3. ln a' load-transfer apparatus, in combination, an elevated support, two hoisting ropes suspended from said support, winding drums for said ropes, connections between said drums, whereby said ropes may be paid out simultaneously and taken up simultaneously, a swinger 'frame engaging the fall of each of said ropes, a swinger rope connected to each of. said swinger frames, and means for paying out one of said swinger ropes and taking up the other ot' said swinger ropes simultaneously.

7. ln a load-transfer apparatus, in combination, an elevated support, two hoisting ropes suspended from said support, a winding engine for each ot said ropes, connections between said engines whereby said ropes may be taken up and paid out simultaneously or independently of each other, a swinger frame engaging the vfall of each of said ropes, and means for simultaneously swinging said frames one in the opposite direction to the other.

S. In a load-transfer apparatus, two suspended hoisting ropes, a swinger frame engaging the fall of each of said ropes, ala-terally disposed rope guide, a rope passing over said guide and having-its ends adjustalely connected to said swinger trames, a. swinger rope connected to each of said swinger trames and extending in the oppote direction .trom said last named rope, and means for taking up and paying out said swinger ropes.

ln a load-transfer apparatus, in combination, a hoisting rope, a swinger frame engaging the fall of said rope, a swinger frame havine a clean Julie thereon a laterali f' disposed rope guide, a rope passing over said guide and having its end rove by said cleat pulley, a swinger rope connected to said frame and extending' in the opposite direction from said last named rope, and-means for taking' up and paying out said ropes.

10. In a load-transfer apparatus, in combination, an elevated support, two hoisting ropes suspended from a common point on said support, a winding engine for each oit' said ropes, connections between said engines whereby said ropes may be taken up and paid out simultaneously or independently ot each other, a swinger frame engaging a fall of each of said ropes, and means for simultaneously swinging said trames in opposite directions to each other to swing said ropes laterally in opposite directions on said point of common support. x

l1. n a load-transfer apparatus, in combination, a boom, two hoisting ropes suspended from a common point on said boom, a winding engine for each of said ropes, connections between said engines whereby said ropes may be taken up and paid out simultaneously or independently of each other, a swinger frame engaging the fall of each of said ropes, and means for simultaneously swinging said trames in opposite directions to each other to swing said hoisting ropes laterally in opposite directions on said point ot common support on said boom.

12. In a load-transfer apparatus, in combination, an elevated support, two hoisting ropes suspended from said support, a winding engine for each of said ropes, connections between said engines whereby said In testimony whereof have hereunto l@ ropes may be taken up and paid ont simnlsigned my name in the presence of two sub-- taneously or independently of each other, scrlhlng witnesses.

swinger rope means connected to the falls or' THOMAS SPENCER MILLER said hoisting ropes and extended n opposite LOUIS G RUGGLES directions therefrom, and means for simultaneously operating said swinger rope means \Vitnesses:

to swing said hoisting ropes in opposite di- ERNEST PULsroRD, rections to each other. Y FRANK M. MGCORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

